Precise ring guide rail type tool magazine

Abstract

The present application relates to the technical field of tool magazine, and particularly relates to a precision ring guide rail type tool magazine, which comprises a bottom plate, a chain, a guide rail, a trolley assembly and a tool holder, the tool holder and the trolley assembly are relatively fixed, the trolley assembly slides on the guide rail through first rollers, and the trolley assembly is driven to move by the chain, the present application drives the sprocket to rotate by a first driving mechanism, drives the chain to rotate circularly, drives the trolley assembly to slide on the track by the chain, the driving trolley is positioned in a V shape by four first rollers, is rigidly arranged on the track, avoids the problem that the traditional chain type tool magazine is easy to be loose, and can improve the tool changing speed, improve the stability of transmission, improve the rigidity of the trolley assembly through the setting of universal balls, second rollers and third rollers, and further set a positioning mechanism to improve the positioning accuracy of the tool magazine.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of tool magazine technology, and specifically to a precision ring-shaped guide rail type tool magazine. Background Technology

[0002] Chain-type tool magazines in large machining centers typically use four or more rows of chains for transmission. The contact between the chain and the sprocket is a non-rigid connection, resulting in poor transmission stability and a need to improve accuracy.

[0003] The existing technology CN115971942A chain tool magazine includes a support and a chain. The support has a guide rail and a first limiting groove. The chain, used to load tools, is arranged around the guide rail and includes several links. Each pair of adjacent links is hinged to each other, and a bearing is provided at the hinge. Each link has a first roller that can move along the guide rail and a second roller that extends into the first limiting groove. The axis of the second roller is oriented towards the side wall of the support. The bearing at the connection point of adjacent links significantly reduces wear on the link during transmission. Simultaneously, the second roller's axis is oriented towards the side wall of the support, meaning the second roller is in a vertical position within the first limiting groove. Therefore, during transmission, the first limiting groove restricts the vertical displacement of the second roller, effectively preventing the chain from swaying vertically, improving the chain's transmission stability, and thus improving the tool positioning accuracy. However, in this patent, the guide rail only limits the vertical position of the second roller, but the direction of the second roller away from the guide rail is not restricted. Therefore, the tool holder is not restricted and is not fixed relative to the guide rail. When changing tools, the position of the tool holder is prone to shift, which affects the tool changing accuracy.

[0004] Patent CN115971943A discloses a servo chain tool magazine, including a base. A guide rail is horizontally arranged on the base, surrounding the bottom of the base. Several sliders are vertically arranged on the sides of the guide rail, distributed on the outer sides of the base and moving around the guide rail. Connecting rods are horizontally movable on both sides of each slider, connecting them to form a transmission chain that rotates around the base. Bearings are vertically arranged on both sides of the bottom of each slider, moving around the bottom of the slider. The bearings are located on the left and right sides of the guide rail and move along the sides of the guide rail. Tool holders are horizontally arranged on the sides of each slider, moving in the same direction as the slider. Tool holders and cutting tools are vertically inserted inside the tool holders. This patent uses a rectangular guide rail structure with large gaps and lacks a positioning mechanism, resulting in inaccurate positioning. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The problem solved by this invention is that the stability of the tool magazine transmission in the prior art is poor and the accuracy needs to be improved. This invention provides a high-rigidity, high-precision ring-shaped guide rail tool magazine.

[0006] This invention is achieved through the following technical solution: a precision annular guide rail type tool magazine, comprising:

[0007] The base plate is a rigid flat plate, and all other components of the tool magazine are built on the base plate as a foundation;

[0008] A chain is rotatably mounted on the first side of the base plate. The chain is in a tightly looped shape and is driven to rotate cyclically by a first drive mechanism.

[0009] The guide rail is fixedly installed on the first side of the base plate and is set at equal intervals with the chain. The two sides of the guide rail are provided with concave / convex V-shaped surfaces.

[0010] The trolley assembly includes four rotatable first rollers, the shape of which matches the V-shaped face of the annular guide rail. The first rollers grip the rail from both sides. Multiple trolley assemblies are provided, and each trolley assembly is connected to one link of a chain. The links of adjacent trolley assemblies are equally spaced.

[0011] A tool holder is fixed relative to the trolley assembly, and a tool is held in the tool holder.

[0012] The positioning mechanism includes a positioning block fixed on the trolley assembly and a positioning head fixed on the base plate and capable of moving or swinging, wherein the positioning head and the positioning block are matched.

[0013] Furthermore, it also includes a first connecting plate for connecting the trolley assembly and the tool holder. At least two omnidirectional balls are installed on the first connecting plate, and the omnidirectional balls abut against the base plate. The abutment position of the omnidirectional balls is located on the outside of the guide rail.

[0014] Furthermore, wear-resistant stainless steel strips are installed on the base plate for contact with the omnidirectional ball.

[0015] Furthermore, a second connecting plate is fixedly installed on the base plate at the tool changing position. The second connecting plate is located inside the trolley assembly. Two second rollers are rotatably arranged on the second connecting plate. The line connecting the two second rollers is parallel to the guide rail at that location. The second rollers abut against the side of the first connecting plate.

[0016] Furthermore, a third connecting plate is fixedly connected to the second connecting plate, and two third rollers are rotatably arranged on the third connecting plate, the third rollers being connected to the back bottom of the blade holder.

[0017] Furthermore, the positioning head is fixedly mounted on the swing arm, which is rotated and positioned on the second side of the base plate via a rotating shaft. A cylinder is also mounted on the second side of the base plate, which is used to drive the rotating shaft to rotate.

[0018] Furthermore, in the trolley assembly, the first roller is rotatably mounted on the first mounting plate, and the distance between the two outer first rollers is greater than the distance between the two inner first rollers.

[0019] Furthermore, in the trolley assembly, the four first rollers are divided into two pairs, and each pair of first rollers is rotatably mounted on a second mounting plate, which is rotatably mounted on a third mounting plate via bearings.

[0020] The beneficial effects of this invention are:

[0021] 1. In this invention, the first driving mechanism drives the sprocket to rotate, which in turn drives the chain to rotate in a cycle. The chain drives the trolley assembly to slide on the track. The trolley assembly is positioned on the track with high rigidity by the V-shaped positioning of the four first rollers, which avoids the problem of low rigidity of traditional chain-type tool magazines and can improve the tool changing speed and transmission stability.

[0022] 2. This invention features a universal ball joint support, providing a supporting force parallel to the tool length direction during tool changes, improving the rigidity of the tool magazine, and preventing damage to the guide rail and first roller due to circumferential torque.

[0023] 3. The present invention is provided with a second roller and a third roller respectively abutting against the side of the first connecting plate and the back of the tool holder, which can improve the positional accuracy of the carriage assembly at the tool changing position and improve the rigidity of the carriage assembly.

[0024] 4. The present invention is also provided with a positioning mechanism, in which the positioning head swings and inserts into the positioning block during tool changing to ensure the precise position of the tool holder at the tool changing position.

[0025] 5. The first roller of the trolley assembly of the present invention can adopt two structures, both of which can ensure that the four first rollers and the guide rail are always in close contact, and there will be no excessive gap or jamming. Attached Figure Description

[0026] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a precision ring-shaped guide rail tool magazine according to the present invention;

[0027] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a precision ring-shaped guide rail tool magazine according to the present invention (back view, with the bottom plate removed);

[0028] Figure 3 for Figure 2 A magnified view of a portion of the image;

[0029] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the positioning mechanism, the first connecting plate, and the second connecting plate at the tool changing position;

[0030] Figure 5 for Figure 4 Top view;

[0031] Figure 6 for Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the structure with an added omnidirectional ball.

[0032] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a gyrosphere;

[0033] Figure 8 This is a diagram showing the installation location of the stainless steel bars;

[0034] Figure 9 This is a diagram showing the position of the first roller in the car assembly;

[0035] Figure 10 for Figure 9 Diagram showing the method for determining the position of the first roller in the structure;

[0036] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the assembly structure of the first roller in the trolley assembly;

[0037] In the diagram: 1. Base plate;

[0038] 2 chains;

[0039] 3. First drive mechanism;

[0040] 4 guide rails;

[0041] 5. Cart components; 501. First roller; 502. First mounting plate; 503. Second mounting plate; 504. Third mounting plate;

[0042] 6-knife clip;

[0043] 7. First connecting plate;

[0044] 8 omnidirectional ball;

[0045] 9 stainless steel bars;

[0046] 10. Second connecting plate;

[0047] 11. Second roller;

[0048] 12. Third connecting plate;

[0049] 13. Third roller;

[0050] 14 Positioning mechanism; 1401 Positioning block; 1402 Positioning head; 1403 Swing arm; 1404 Rotating shaft; 1405 Cylinder. Detailed Implementation

[0051] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0052] like Figure 1-3 As shown, a precision ring-shaped guide rail type tool magazine includes: a base plate 1, a chain 2, a guide rail 4, a carriage assembly 5, a tool holder 6, and a positioning mechanism 14.

[0053] The base plate 1 is a rigid flat plate, and all other components of the tool magazine are built on the base plate 1 as a foundation.

[0054] The chain 2 is rotatably mounted on the first side of the base plate 1. The chain 2 is in a tightly wound ring shape and is driven to rotate cyclically by the first drive mechanism 3. A sprocket is rotatably mounted on the upper and lower sides of the base plate 1. The chain 2 is tightly wound around the two sprockets. The first drive mechanism 3 is a servo motor and a reducer, which is mounted on the second side of the base plate 1 and drives the upper sprocket to rotate, thereby driving the chain 2 to rotate cyclically.

[0055] The guide rail 4 is fixedly installed on the first side of the base plate 1 by fasteners, and is set at equal intervals with the chain 2. Like the chain 2, it is waist-shaped and includes two upper and lower semi-circular guide rails 4 and a straight guide rail 4 with parallel ends in the middle. The two sides of the guide rail 4 are provided with concave / convex V-shaped surfaces.

[0056] The trolley assembly 5 includes four rotatable first rollers 501. The shape of the first rollers 501 matches the V-shaped surface of the annular guide rail 4. The first rollers 501 hug the rail from both sides. There are multiple trolley assemblies 5. Each trolley assembly 5 is connected to one link of the chain 2. The links of adjacent trolley assemblies 5 are equally spaced. In this case, there are a total of 40 trolley assemblies 5 and 240 links. Each 6 links are connected to one trolley assembly 5.

[0057] The tool holder 6 and the trolley assembly 5 are fixed relative to each other. The tool holder 6 holds the cutting tool and can be selected according to actual usage requirements.

[0058] The positioning mechanism 14, such as Figure 4-5As shown, the positioning mechanism 14 includes a positioning block 1401 fixed on the trolley assembly 5 and a positioning head 1402 fixed on the base plate 1 and capable of moving or swinging. The positioning head 1402 and the positioning block 1401 are matched. In this solution, when changing tools, the required tool is moved to the tool changing position, and the positioning head 1402 moves and inserts into the positioning groove of the positioning block 1401, thereby achieving the vertical positioning of the trolley assembly 5 and improving accuracy.

[0059] In this scheme, the servo motor drives the sprocket to rotate, which in turn drives the chain 2 to rotate cyclically. The chain 2 drives the trolley assembly 5 to slide on the track. The trolley assembly 5 is positioned on the track with high rigidity by the V-shaped positioning of the four first rollers 501, which avoids the problem of low rigidity of traditional chain tool magazines. It can also improve the tool changing speed and the stability of the transmission. Furthermore, the positioning mechanism 14 can be used to position the trolley assembly 5 vertically.

[0060] like Figure 7-8 As shown, in practical applications, a first connecting plate 7 is also included. The first connecting plate 7 is used to connect the trolley assembly 5 and the tool holder 6. At least two universal balls 8, also known as bullseye bearings, are installed on the first connecting plate 7. The universal balls 8 abut against the base plate 1, and the abutment position of the universal balls 8 is located on the outside of the guide rail 4. Wear-resistant stainless steel strips 9 are installed on the base plate 1 for abutting against the universal balls 8. In this solution, due to the support of the universal balls 8, a supporting force parallel to the tool length direction is provided during tool changing, improving the rigidity of the tool magazine and preventing the guide rail 4 and the first roller 501 from being damaged by circumferential torque. On the other hand, the universal balls 8 can reduce the contact friction, and the use of stainless steel strips 9 can improve wear resistance and increase service life.

[0061] like Figure 4-5 As shown, in practical applications, a second connecting plate 10 is fixedly installed on the base plate 1 at the tool changing position. The second connecting plate 10 is located inside the carriage assembly 5. Two second rollers 11 are rotatably mounted on the second connecting plate 10. The line connecting the two second rollers 11 is parallel to the guide rail 4 at that location. The second rollers 11 abut against the side of the first connecting plate 7. In this design, the two second rollers 11 push against the inside of the first connecting plate 7, which can improve the positional accuracy of the carriage assembly 5 at the tool changing position.

[0062] like Figure 4-5 As shown, in practical applications, a third connecting plate 12 is also fixedly connected to the second connecting plate 10. Two third rollers 13 are rotatably mounted on the third connecting plate 12, and the third rollers 13 are in contact with the back of the tool holder 6. In this design, the third rollers 13 provide a thrust pointing towards the base plate 1, which can improve the rigidity of the carriage assembly 5, and the guide rail 4 will not be affected by the impact force during tool changing.

[0063] like Figure 6 As shown, a universal ball 8, a wear-resistant stainless steel strip 9, a second roller 11, and a third roller 13 are added. The universal ball 8 forms a support on the outside of the first connecting plate 7, and the chain 2 forms a support on the inside of the trolley assembly 5. The first roller 501 and the guide rail 4 complete the guiding and positioning function. The second roller 11 abuts against the inside of the first connecting plate 7, and the third roller 13 presses the trolley assembly 5 tightly onto the base plate 1. With multi-point support and the third roller 13 pressing tightly, the first roller 501 and the guide rail 4 will not be affected by torque when changing tools, thus improving the overall rigidity.

[0064] like Figure 4-5 As shown, in practical applications, the positioning head 1402 is fixedly mounted on the swing arm 1403. The swing arm 1403 is transferred to the second side of the base plate 1 via a rotating shaft 1404. An opening is provided in the base plate 1, through which the swing arm 1403 passes to the first side of the base plate 1. Mounting the main structure on the second side of the base plate 1 reduces the installation space on the first side, making the structure more compact. A cylinder 1405 is also mounted on the second side of the base plate 1, which drives the rotating shaft to rotate. The swing arm 1403 adopts an adjustable structure, with an opening on its side and secured with bolts. Therefore, the position of the swing arm 1403 can be adjusted for easy debugging. The cylinder body of cylinder 1405 is rotatably mounted on the base plate 1. The piston shaft of cylinder 1405 is rotatably connected to another rocker arm on the rotating shaft 1404. Therefore, the action of cylinder 1405 can realize the rotation of rotating shaft 1404, thereby swinging rocker arm 1403 to realize the engagement and disengagement of positioning head 1402 and positioning block 1401.

[0065] like Figure 9-10 As shown, in practical applications, in the trolley assembly 5, the first roller 501 is rotatably mounted on the first mounting plate 502, and the distance between the two outer first rollers 501 is greater than the distance between the two inner first rollers 501. The positions of the four first rollers 501 are determined by the following method: the black part in the middle represents the guide rail 4, the two lines on the outside represent the movement trajectory of the roller center, and the intersection point of the two parallel straight line movement trajectories and the two circular arc movement trajectories. The distance between the two parallel straight lines is equal to the distance between the two concentric arcs. Thus, the four intersection points are the positions of the centers of the first rollers 501. When the first rollers 501 are arranged in this way, the first rollers 501 and the guide rails 4 are tightly fitted on both the straight guide rail 4 and the arc guide rail 4 without any gaps. This ensures that the trolley assembly 5 and the straight / arc guide rails are tightly fitted respectively, and there will be no jamming or excessive gaps. This solution is applicable to arc guide rails 4 with a fixed diameter.

[0066] like Figure 11As shown, in practical applications, the first roller 501 of the trolley assembly 5 can also adopt other structural forms. In the trolley assembly 5, the four first rollers 501 are divided into two pairs. Each pair of first rollers 501 is rotatably mounted on the second mounting plate 503. This second mounting plate 503 is rotatably mounted on the third mounting plate 504 via bearings. The second mounting plate 503 is located at the arc-shaped track and can rotate around the bearings, ensuring that the four rollers and the guide rail 4 are always in close contact during operation, without jamming or excessive gaps. This solution is applicable to arc-shaped guide rails 4 of any diameter. Therefore, the guide rail 4 can overcome the limitations of the waist shape. For example, the upper and lower sprockets can be of different diameters, or the guide rail 4 can be arranged in an S-shape, all of which can achieve close contact between the four first rollers and the guide rail 4.

[0067] Compared with the prior art, the trolley assembly 5 is positioned by the V-shape of the four first rollers 501 and is slidably set on the guide rail 4, which has higher rigidity. This connection structure can ensure that the trolley assembly 5 can move in only one direction out of its six degrees of freedom. The high rigidity structure cannot produce movement or rotation in other directions, resulting in stronger stability. Furthermore, the rigidity of the tool magazine is further improved by the universal ball 8, the second roller 11, and the third roller 13. The positioning mechanism 14 eliminates the accuracy problem caused by the chain drive. Finally, the structural design of the first rollers 501 ensures that the first rollers 501 can fit tightly on both the arc-shaped guide rail 4 and the linear guide rail 4.

[0068] In summary, the precision ring-shaped guide rail tool magazine of the present invention has high rigidity, is not affected by the tightness of the chain, and has the advantages of high speed and high stability.

[0069] The foregoing has shown and described the basic principles, main features, and advantages of the present invention. Those skilled in the art should understand that the above embodiments are merely illustrative of the technical concept and characteristics of the present invention, intended to enable those skilled in the art to understand and implement the invention, and should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of the present invention. All equivalent changes or modifications made in accordance with the spirit and essence of the present invention should be covered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A precision ring-shaped guide rail type tool magazine, characterized in that: include: The base plate (1) is a rigid flat plate, and the rest of the tool magazine components are built on the base plate (1); The chain (2) is rotatably mounted on the first side of the base plate (1). The chain (2) is in a tight ring shape and is driven to rotate cyclically by the first drive mechanism (3). The guide rail (4) is fixedly installed on the first side of the base plate (1) and is set at equal intervals with the chain (2). The two sides of the guide rail (4) are provided with concave / convex V-shaped surfaces. The trolley assembly (5) includes four rotatable first rollers (501). The shape of the first rollers (501) matches the V-shaped face of the annular guide rail (4). The first rollers (501) hug the rail from both sides. Multiple trolley assemblies (5) are provided. Each trolley assembly (5) is connected to one link of the chain (2). The links of adjacent trolley assemblies (5) are equally spaced. The blade holder (6) is fixed relative to the trolley assembly (5), and the blade holder (6) holds the blade. The positioning mechanism (14) includes a positioning block (1401) fixed on the trolley assembly (5) and a positioning head (1402) fixed on the base plate (1) and capable of moving or swinging. The positioning head (1402) and the positioning block (1401) are matched. It also includes a first connecting plate (7), which is used to connect the trolley assembly (5) and the blade holder (6). At least two universal balls (8) are installed on the first connecting plate (7). The universal balls (8) abut against the base plate (1). The position where the universal balls (8) abut is located on the outside of the guide rail (4). The base plate (1) is also fixedly installed with a second connecting plate (10) at the tool changing position. The second connecting plate (10) is located inside the trolley assembly (5). Two second rollers (11) are rotatably arranged on the second connecting plate (10). The line connecting the two second rollers (11) is parallel to the guide rail (4) at that location. The second rollers (11) and the side of the first connecting plate (7) abut against each other. A third connecting plate (12) is also fixedly connected to the second connecting plate (10). Two third rollers (13) are rotatably arranged on the third connecting plate (12). The third rollers (13) abut against the back of the blade holder (6).

2. The precision ring-shaped guide rail type tool magazine according to claim 1, characterized in that: Wear-resistant stainless steel strips (9) are installed on the base plate (1) for contact with the omnidirectional ball (8).

3. The precision ring-shaped guide rail type tool magazine according to claim 1, characterized in that: The positioning head (1402) is fixedly mounted on the swing arm (1403). The swing arm (1403) is transferred to the second side of the base plate (1) via the rotating shaft (1404). A cylinder (1405) is also mounted on the second side of the base plate (1). The cylinder (1405) is used to drive the rotating shaft to rotate.

4. A precision ring-shaped guide rail type tool magazine according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that: In the trolley assembly (5), the first roller (501) is rotatably mounted on the first mounting plate (502), and the distance between the two outer first rollers (501) is greater than the distance between the two inner first rollers (501).

5. A precision ring-shaped guide rail type tool magazine according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that: In the trolley assembly (5), the four first rollers (501) are divided into two pairs. Each pair of first rollers (501) is rotatably mounted on a second mounting plate (503), which is rotatably mounted on a third mounting plate (504) via bearings.

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